Latest California Healthline Stories
COBRA Coverage Too Costly for Unemployed, Study Finds
More than 725,000 laid-off workers have lost their health insurance since the economy dipped into a recession in March, a report by the advocacy group Families USA has found, the Columbus Dispatch reports.
Riordan’s Support for Abortion Rights May Be ‘Key’ in Gubernatorial Race
Richard Riordan, the former mayor of Los Angeles and one of three candidates running for California’s Republican gubernatorial nomination in March, has “made clear” his support for abortion rights and public funding of abortion, two positions that may win him support among “disillusioned” GOP female voters who support abortion rights, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Florida Bill Would Set Up Computerized Database To Track Prescription Drugs
A bill unveiled yesterday by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) would create a computerized database to track prescription drugs as part of an effort to halt abuse of legal medications, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
House Passes Medicare Provider, Contractor Reform Bill
The House yesterday voted 408-0 to approve a bill that would ease “regulatory hurdles” for Medicare providers and reform the program’s contracting system, the AP/Washington Post reports.
Los Angeles County Supervisors Approve Plan to Study Emergency Room Expansions at Three Hospitals
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted yesterday to study expanding emergency room facilities at three county hospitals, despite the fact that the county’s health system faces a deficit that is expected to grow to $884 million by 2005, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Medicare+Choice Program Faces Increased Costs, Fewer Services in 2002
Many health plans will withdraw from Medicare+Choice next year and those that do not will likely increase costs for beneficiaries and reduce services, CMS Administrator Thomas Scully told the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health yesterday, CongressDaily/AM reports.
Zingale Says DMHC ‘Lacks Clout’ in Addressing Health Care Access Problems
The Department of Managed Health Care “lacks clout” to fix health care access problems, DMHC Director Daniel Zingale said at a hearing of the Senate subcommittee on health yesterday.
Senate Votes To Delay Human Cloning Debate Until January
The Senate voted 94-1 yesterday not to “force” a vote on legislation that would prohibit human cloning, choosing instead to postpone debate on the issue until next year, the Washington Post reports.
PICO Launches Campaign Urging HHS to Approve Waiver to Expand Healthy Families Coverage to Parents
The Pacific Institute of Community Organization, a coalition of 16 faith-based organizations and some 350 churches, yesterday launched a statewide campaign asking the federal government to approve a waiver that would expand Healthy Families to cover parents, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Senate Approves One-Year Delay to HIPAA Transactions and Code Sets Deadline
The Senate last week unanimously approved a bill (S 1684) that would postpone the compliance deadline for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act transactions and code sets standards by one year, to October 2003.